No matter if it’s the MD, the accounts manager, receptionist or machine operator, if a breakdown of a relationship happens within your business, then there is likely to be a knock-on effect. This can be especially the case if your colleague or team member is going through a long separation with the courts involved.
Could updates to mediation rules help?
Recent updates to the Family Procedure Rules mean there’s a greater emphasis on mediation for families going through court procedures. The change involves a reduced number of exemptions from attending a Mediation Information Assessment Meeting (MIAM). While the jury is out on whether or not these rules will have a positive impact on separating couples, it may mean increased mediation attendance resulting in a potentially quicker and less stressful resolution.
When relationship breakdowns impact business
When couples separate, the more amicably they can resolve matters, the better it is for themselves and their families. Going through court proceedings is often stressful and can take a person’s mind off their everyday life and their work. The stress it can cause can result in a lack of interest and enthusiasm for their career, lower performance, more absences from work, and an inability to be as productive as they once were. Successful mediation can avoid having to go through the courts, reduce legal costs and remove the worry and uncertainty of what a final ruling will be.
What you can do to help as a business owner
If you own a business, then there are things you can do to help your team members and colleagues.
- First and foremost, adopting a culture of care in the workplace will provide a ‘natural’ pathway for employees to proactively explain their personal circumstances and open a discussion on how their situation may impact their work, for example, if they need to attend mediation sessions during working hours. Approaching them to ask if there is a problem can be helpful for some, but for others it can feel like a personal imposition.
- Keep an eye out for patterns in absenteeism. While there may not be an immediate and obvious correlation between a relationship breakdown and absences, emotional distress can be complex and may, for example, come later on when a divorce is over. Knowing the signs of emotional stress can help you understand more about how a colleague is feeling and the kind of support you can offer them.
- Providing training programmes for leaders and managers can help them support their teams in the best way and allow them to offer the most suitable and helpful resources.
- Sometimes, the impact of a relationship breakdown of one person, can impact the nature of the relationships between colleagues. So, it’s important to make communication in the workplace as open as possible. Encourage your teams to talk about personal challenges in a culture of trust and no judgement. This may allay or reduce potential conflicts.
- Separations and divorces can present a new series of financial concerns on top of other stresses. Worries about how bills will be paid and where they may live can be a significant source of anxiety. To help employees, business owners can signpost them to useful advice and resources, including access to Independent Financial Advisors, and financial planning experts. In some cases, it may be appropriate to make a hardship payment, discuss different pension options or bring forward a rise in pay.
Conclusion
When an employee’s relationship breaks down, it’s important for businesses to have in place a supportive working environment, with effective communication, training, resources and some flexibility. This kind of approach will go some way in lightening the load through a difficult time for your employee, and will at the same time, help your business.
